Elderly Irish Man Falls to His Death from Pattaya 5-Star Hotel

[misskit]

An elderly Irish man fell to his death from the 31st floor of a luxury 5-star hotel in Pattaya in the early hours of Monday, August 19th, 2024.


At 5:06 AM, Pattaya police received a report of a foreign man falling to his death at a 5-star hotel located along Pattaya Second Road in North Pattaya, Nongprue sub-district, Banglamung district, Chonburi province. They rushed to the scene with a team of rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Center and The Pattaya News.


Upon arrival, hotel security had already cordoned off the area with metal barriers to prevent unauthorized people from entering the incident scene. Rescue personnel then quickly removed the body from the area.

According to reports, the deceased has been identified by police as Mr. Ultan Michael Browne, a 67-year-old Irish national. He fell from the 31st floor of the hotel and fatally hit the ground. Pattaya police said the cause of the fall remains unknown, and it is unclear whether it was an accident or a suicide.


Authorities are waiting to review CCTV footage to determine the circumstances of the incident. The body has been transported to Banglamung Hospital to await his family. The name of the hotel was withheld by police pending further legal investigation.


Elderly Irish Man Falls to His Death from Pattaya 5-Star Hotel - The Pattaya News

[david44]

He's reported as Icelandic here unless it was a double jump?
Ultan of course is a name from Uladh so likley an Ulsterman, but its hard to belive anything in Thai press.

Icelandic tourist fell to death in Pattaya this morning


Scandasia
https://scandasia.com › icelandic-tourist-fell-to-death-in...




19 hours ago — Early this morning a 67-year-old Icelandic tourist named Ultan Michael Browne tragically fell from the 31st floor of a luxury hotel in North

[DrWilly]

To be sure, to be sure.

[cyrille]

So, from Northern Ireland you reckon.

[Seekingasylum]

Ulster comprises more than just the six counties. Certainly, a nationalist and Catholic. I think it’s the Grande Centre Point Space hotel which has 31 floors. It’s actually on the Naklua Road side of Dolphin and not Second Road.

[taxexile]

there are few safety protocols in place when it comes to windows, balconies and high rise buildings.


last month i wanted to see thai courts in action and i was invited by a lawyer to sit in the public gallery on a case at the central criminal court in bangkok, (actually it was not a gallery but a row of seats behind the dock, where witnesses sit waiting to be called.)

the court building, on or near ratchadapisek road is a tall concrete 1970's monolith, about 20 stories tall. in the lobbies where the lifts are located there are large picture windows, ceiling to almost floor level, revealing an impressive view of the bangkok skyline. the court i was called to was on the 18th floor, and after the case whilst waiting for the lift to arrive i moved over to the window to take in the view.

the window was hinged across the top rail, openable, and the lock or catch on the bottom rail that was actualy lower than knee level was broken, there was nothing to secure the window shut, in other word a slight push on the window would have opened it from the bottom outwards. it is no wonder that in thailand the unwary, or the suicidal, are defenestrating on a regular basis.

only a chickenhead would authorise the fitting a top hinged outwardly opening window in a high rise government building, to say nothing of the maintenance department that have neglected to fix or replace the lock.

(the court procedings were rather dull. the defendant and the witnesses are called, they are examined by the prosecution and the defence counsel, the be-robed judges interrupt now and again if they think the defendant or the witness are making unecessary remarks or irrelevant facts. there are no juries. the judges adjourn and set a date for delivery of the verdict. the judges are treated with the utmost respect and deference by all present. i was told in no uncertain terms by the judge to sit properly, i.e. sit with legs uncrossed.)

[Stumpy]

there are few safety protocols in place when it comes to windows, balconies and high rise buildings.

Got to call Bullshit on that Tax. All the places have balcony railings and controls, especially in 5 star rated places. If someone in Pattaya wants to take a swan dive, it is easy to stand on the balcony supplied chair and just flop over. I think its time to quit pointing fingers at the hotels. Its the foreigners and the individuals state of mind. These are all older foreigner guys who, for whatever reason, have decided that a dive from the 31st floor puts it all to rest, and it does.

Its Pattaya, no one should expect anything less.

[bsnub]

Jeez, for a minute I thought that someone pushed that miserable cretin genticles/seekingass out a window.

[Stumpy]

Jeez, for a minute I thought that someone pushed that miserable cretin genticles/seekingass out a window.

It was an Irish guy and genticles lives on the 4th floor with no balcony. Only chance of suicide is a wheel chair down the fire exit.

[bsnub]

genticles lives on the 4th floor with no balcony.

Good lord. Who would buy a condo in Pattaya with no balcony? Oh wait...

A near broke ex-paper pusher would.

Only chance of suicide is a wheel chair down the fire exit.

[nidhogg]

Got to call Bullshit on that Tax.

To be fair -he does have a point. The 5 star are normally better, but often the wall on the balcony is "Thai person sized" and not "big farang person" sized.

On the point of the window, agree -but will bet good money that it is normal window pane glass, and not shatterproof glass. I slipped on my hotel balcony one time (not 5 star) and nearly put my head through the glass of the patio door, which would have shattered and probably chopped my head off.

[david44]

probably chopped my head off

reminds me of teh only fans decorator the Borat of Korat Mendyfixit the canine couturier and seaman nemo dreamt of.

[Stumpy]

To a point I agree Nid. But lets be frank, if someone wants to take a header they will find a way. Sure we can always look at windows and balconies but the rare case some one falls out a window or they flip over a balcony is rare. These are older men who for their own reasons have decided to take a swan dive. Pattaya is loaded with geriatric foreigners. Every time I had to go there for business, the place was swarming with them an most look down on their luck.

I do agree with the tempered glass. Many of the older places have old glass but when have we heard of a guy who flew through a plate glass window 31 stories up?

[BLD]

To a point I agree Nid. But lets be frank, if someone wants to take a header they will find a way. Sure we can always look at windows and balconies but the rare case some one falls out a window or they flip over a balcony is rare. These are older men who for their own reasons have decided to take a swan dive. Pattaya is loaded with geriatric foreigners. Every time I had to go there for business, the place was swarming with them an most look down on their luck.

I do agree with the tempered glass. Many of the older places have old glass but when have we heard of a guy who flew through a plate glass window 31 stories up?

Pretty sure tax has a very fertile imagination

[armstrong]

99% of the falling from the balcony cases have nothing to do with the height of the balcony. They jumped, fell while doing something stupid or were pushed.

[baldrick]

doing something stupid

Renovations ?

[DrWilly]

Perhaps he was sick of TEFLing for a living.

[Troy]

An elderly Irish man fell to his death from the 31st floor of a luxury 5-star hotel in Pattaya in the early hours of Monday, August 19th, 2024.

It's been a while since I was in Pattaya. I thought the tallest hotel near Second Road was the Holiday Inn (4*).

Which 5-star hotel are they talking about with 31 floors?

I have stayed at the Holiday Inn (once), probably 12 years ago now and we did have a high floor, probably around 20th. The balcony was not only small but felt dangerous with a very low safety barrier (I'm not tall and it was below my hips). We ventured onto once and then locked it and blocked the door with out luggage. The reason being it was to at the end of the bed and to the left, which is the way to the loo in our house.

It's not that difficult for muscle memory to kick in when you're tired, or had a couple of drinks, or, more likely, both.

[cyrille]

Which 5-star hotel are they talking about with 31 floors?

I think it’s the Grande Centre Point Space hotel which has 31 floors. It’s actually on the Naklua Road side of Dolphin and not Second Road.

I wonder if anyone heard him scream?

[Shutree]

99% of the falling from the balcony cases have nothing to do with the height of the balcony. They jumped, fell while doing something stupid or were pushed.

100% of the falling from balcony cases have to do with a balcony. I have never been but I am told that Las Vegas hotels have no opening windows, fo a reason.

[helge]

I have never been but I am told that Las Vegas hotels have no opening windows, fo a reason.

To prevent the good folks at sharp shooting at the crowd below ?

[DrWilly]

100% of the falling from balcony cases have to do with the height of the walls on the balcony.

You’d have to be a complete moron to argue otherwise.

[Stumpy]

I have never been but I am told that Las Vegas hotels have no opening windows,

I doubt it's to stop jumpers, it's more because it hotter than hell all the time and no one would go sit out on a balcony nor open a window. AC is your friend. Most people sleep all day recovering to go gamble and party at night. Been there and lived there.

[david44]

Not knock Paddy Wacked

[nidhogg]

Obviously there is a big difference between rooms with and without a balcony. Even in Thailand, in rooms without a balcony the windows are normally unable to open nowadays (giving rise to frustrated smoker syndrome). With a balcony there has to be a means to access it, so the windows become more moot.